Apparatus for packing ground or comminuted material.



R. G. CLARK. APPARATUS FOR PACKING GROUND 0R CONINHNUTED MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED S`EPT.27, 1916.

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Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

R. G. CLARK.

APFLCATION FILED SET.27. 1916.

R. G. CLARK. APPARATUS FOR PACKING GROUND OR COMMINUTED MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-27. 1916.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918. 4 shams-SHEET 3.

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.R. G. CLARK. APPARATUS' Fon PACKING GROUND on COMMINUTED MATERIAL.

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Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

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f ITED STATES `IEAIVENT OFFICE.

' ROBERT G. CLARK, 0F ZBROOKYN, NEW' YORK." APPARATUS FOB IACKINGI'GROUND OB COMMINUTED MATERIAL.

l Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

Application led September 27, 1916. Serial No. 122,341.

To allwtom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT G. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,Vresiding in the borough of Brdoklyn, county of Kings, city and State ofNew York, have invented new andV useful Apparatus for Packin Ground orComminuted Material, of whic the ol- VIMI' lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for packing ground or comminutedmaterial, such as cork, mixed with a suitable binder into sticks,commonly termed cork sticks.

f cap To .provide a packing for caps for the closure of receptacles suchas bottles, the

has a composite ming consisting of a thin layer of ground cork and asuitable binder. Vlin the production of this linirexgv the ground corkwith the binder is pack and compressed into cylindrical form in a tubeand after'being packed in the tube is baked Vto retain the cork with thebinder in a compact or compressed and rigid though yielding mass,preferably in elongated cylindrical form, after which disks ofpredetermined thickness are sliced from the cylinder or stick.

llt is the object of the .present invention to provide an apparatus topack the ground cork with the binder into cylindrical form, and toprovide an a paratus to`simultaneously pack a series o sticks.l

ln carrying out the invention, an embodiment of which is shown in theaccompanying drawings, I provide a hopper having a plurality of outletsand with which outlets` a series of pockets are adapted to communicateto receive a predetermined uantity of material from the hopper, toget erwith a carrier for a series of open end tubes having means to serve asan abutment for'one end of the tubes, and a series of plungers toy aperspective view, with parts broken away of an apparatus showing anembodiment of my invention, and showing theV driving means in positionto impart movement to the pockets and the tube carrier.

tubes..

Fig;- 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the plungers to illustratethe manner of compressing the material in the tubes.

Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation taken on the line 5-5 of Fi .2 withpart of the driving mechanism bro en away; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof the stick as produced by the apparatus.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout thedifferent views of the drawings.

The embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings consists of a base7 upon which the operative mechanism is mounted, said base having avertical column or post 8. Fixed to said base concentric with the column 8 is a support 9'for a series of tubes `and which support alsoserves as an abutment for the tubes. The support has an annular guideway11 in which the lower end of the tubes engage, the terminals of saidguideway being inclined or beveled, as shown at 12, and being adjacent amouth 13 of the support to permit of the readyinsertion of the tubesinto the guideway.

Rotatably mounted on the column 8 is a turret comprising a sleeve 14having spaced apart disks 15 fixed thereto, said disks havingr recesses16 in the periphery thereof to embrace the tubes adjacent opposite endsand maintain the tubes in spaced apart relation, the tubes beingremovably retained in said recesses by yielding or springy fingers i6'.Fixed to the sleeve 14 above the upper disk l5 is a head 17 having teethon the periphery, as shown, and havin a series of circumferentiallydisposed per orations 18, one for under face of the head, as shown at19, of

yenlarged diameter or countersunk on the substantially .the samediameter as the tubes into which the upper end of the tubes cn-` gage,the tubes as they are inserted into the carrier disks through the mouth1 3 of -the support 9 ,andA are carried up the inclined portions 12 ofthe guideway 11 are forced into and maintained in engagement in saidvcountersunk portions of the perforations, the diameter of theperforations preferably being slightly less than the` internal diameterof the tubes to form a shoulder for the engagement of the material inthe tubes wheii compressed to formA anabutment to prevent the materialcoming out ofthe top of the tubes due to any expansion force of thematerial in the tubes when filled.

A head is rotatably supported upon the column 8 above and in juxtaposedrelation to the head 17, said head havin ear teeth on the periphery anda series o circumferentially disposed openings 21 the number of theseopenings being ftwicethe number of the perforations 18 in the head 17.v'The openings 21k are in the natu-re ofV measuring devices or. pockets,the upper ends of the "openings-serving as inlets to and the lower i'Aendsas outlets from the poekets. These. pockets arev adapted to receivea predetermined quantity of material from a hopei and are adapted tdregister with outibts 22 of the hopper. The hopper is of annular formthe outer walls of which inoline inwardly and toward the bottom and theinner wall vis of sinuousor concavo-con' vex form, with the outlets inthe concaved portion'of said wall within the hopper. The `hopperis-pixedto a support 23 fixed to the upper end ofthe column 8 above the head 20,said support having circumferentially disposed openings to register withthe hopclearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5.

e te

fThef' material from the hopper is I,fed through the hopper outlets intothe measuring pockets 21 and is ejected from the latter into the tubesand compressed in the latter by a series of plungers 25 slidablyAengaging in the bosses 24. These plungers are slid,

ably supported in a carrier or head 26 ixedto-a column 27 having rackteeth 27 lwhich slidably engages in the frame column 8. The plungercarrier is reciprocated by a reciprocable rack 28 pivotally connectedatv i one'end, as at 29, to a gear`30 eccentric to the axis of rotationof said gear, the latter 'being driven from a continuously rotatableshaft 31 through a pinion 32. The upper end of the rack 28 slidablyengages in a bracket 33 pivotally supported upon the framework apdmeshes with a pinion 34 fixed to one end of a shaft 35, a gear 36 alsofixed to said shaft meshing with the rack teeth 27 on the column 27.

The composite material, that is, the ground cork and binder, is loose inthe hopper and in such condition is fed into the measuring pockets andfrom the latter into the tubes where it is compressed to substantiallyone quarter of its volume in the measuring ockets. To feed a quantity ofmaterial sii cient to compress and fill the tubes at a single operationis impracticable and for this purpose a predetermined quantity of thematerial is fed to the tubes and compressed successively in the tubes.Furthermore, to compress material in all of .the tubes at the same timeto the full capacity -of the tubes would require so much power as tomake the apparatus impracticable for commercial purposes. For thisreason the successive plungers have variable reduced portions, as 'at37, and where they engage in the carrier or head 26, (see Fig.

4), the plungers being supported in their uppermost position bv the headby collars 38 fixed to the ends of the plungers projecting through thehead. As the lunger carrier is moved downwardthe p lingers will drop ormove 'with the carrier by gravity and during whichv movement thematerial is ejected from the measuring pockets into the tubes, and theplungers are then successively engaged by the head 26 where the shoulderis formed by the reduced portions of the plungers and forced into thetubes compressing the material therein. By varying the lengths of thereduced portions of the plungers the plungers are successively engagedby the carrier or 26, whereby the iirst plunger, as shown at the extremeright in Fig. 4, compresses the material at the bottom of the first tubein the series, and the succeeding plungers compress `successive layerswith the last plunger of the series, shown at theextreme left of- Fig.4, conipressing the material adjacent the top of the last tube of theseries.

To feed and compress successive portions or layers vof material in thetubes, the

measuringpockets and the tubes are intermittently rotated or advanced.By the intermittent movement of the pockets the pockets are broughtsuccessively in place or register with the hopper outlets and ltheplungers, so-that. alternate pockets will be in register with the hopperoutlets and plungers to successively fill and eject the material fromthe pockets; that is,as material is supplied to certain of the pocketsthe plungers will be ejectin the material from the pockets alternatewith the pockets being filled. Simultaneously with the movement of themeasuring pockets the tube car- .rier with the tubes is rotated oradvanced to bring the upper ends of successive tubes in alinement withsuccessive plungers and 1n register with the outlets of alternatemeasuringdevices. It will thus be seen that the movement of the tubecarrier isv tating shaft 31 by a Geneva gear, comprising a star wheel 39liXed to a shaft 40, said the projections of the wheel and transverseguideways 42 at right angles and intersect' ing each other. A pawl orarm 43 is mountcarries a wheel 44 at oneside thereof yto operatein theguideways of the starl wheel. lt will be obvious 'that as the arm 43rotates Q0 by a pinion 49 meshing with the lill with the shaft y31-thewheel 44'will engage in one end of one guideway and impart a one-quarterturn to the star wheel and `will move out of the guideway atsubstantially right angles tothe entrance thereof into the guideway,which movement is transmitted by a bevel gear 45 on a shaft 40 through abevel gear 46 xed to a vertical shaft47, and the movement of the lattershalt is transmitted'to the tube carrier by a gear 48 mesh ing with thegear-teeth of the head o1' the Y tube carrier or turret, and themovement oil the shaft 47 transmitted to the pocket head gear teeth onsaid pocket head.' 4'To lock the shaft 47 and therebythe pocket headvand tube carrier against movement during'the periods of rest, a disk 50on the shaft 31 ,engages with the curved portions 41 of the star wheel,and as movement is imparted to said star wheel by the arm 43 theprojections of the star wheel will engage and pass through a recess 51in said disk 50.

lt will be obvious that the tube carrier and pocket head are movedduring the period that the plungers are out of engagement with thepockets, and that the plungers are actuated during the periods of restoi said tube carrier and pocket head. and the actuation of the tubecarrier and pocket head are so timed that the movement thereof will takeplace asthe plungers approach their uppermost position.4 The arm 43 ismounted on the shaft 31 to have axial movement th ereonwhereby the armmaybe thrown into and out of operative engagement with the guideways inthe star wheel to impartmovement to the latter at a predetermined timewith relation4 to the operation of the plun- (vers. by a grooved collar52 in which the bifurcated end o1E the shifter arm 53, pivotallysupported at 54, engages, a spring 55 normally maintaining the shifterandl thereby the arm 43 in position so'that the roller 44 For thispurpose. the arm is carriedarm will coperate with the star wheel toimpart movement to the latter the gear 30 has a cam 56 at one sidetoengage with a cam engaging roller 57 carrled by the shifter 53. y

As shown in Fig. 1 the plungers are in vtheir uppermost position andmovement is being imparted to the tube carrier and pocket head. Justprevious to imparting [movement to the tube carrier a' tube is inwheelhaving curved portions 41 between y serted into the disk recesses 16through the ret is rotated the lower end 'of the tube will `run up theincline at theletof the mouth ed on the shaft 31 to rotatetherewith'land 13v and maybe readily removed or ejected into a.receptacle or receiving bin for the Same.

To assure `the ready How et the material tromfthe hopper into themeasuring pockets agitators 59 are provided to agitate thematerial inthe hopper adjacent the hopper outlets, said agitators being rotatablysup--v ported to engage in Athe hopper adjacent the hopper outlets, andare rotated by a sinuous rod 61 connected to each agitator, the saidrods engaging in slots in projections 60 on the plunger head 23'. As theplunger carrier is moved downwardI the sinuous rods passing through saidslots will rotate. the agitators in one direction, and as the carriermoves upward the agitators are rotated in a reverse direction'.

The apparatus may be driven in a suitable manner, and as shown herein isadapted toIk be .driven by a belt to pass 58 fixed to the shaft 31.

The material in the tubes as stated is comaround a pulley 4pressed insuccessive layers in the tubes and after the material has beencompressed there is a tendency for such material toexpand, and for thepurpose of maintaining the compressed material under pressure for thelongest time possible during the operation of the plungers is a furtherobject of providing the successive plungers with variable reducedportions. It will be noted from Fig. 4 that as the plunger whichcompresses the material in the bottom of the tubes ispicked up bytheplunger carrier to withdraw it from the tubes the remaining plungersstill engage in the successive tubes and remain therein until they aresuccessively picked up b v the plunger carrier, the weight of theplungers upon the material in the tubes `maintaining the compressedmaterial under pressure. i

Having thus descrlbed my invention, l'

' claim 1. An apparatus ort the classv specied, comprising a support tora tube, a hopper, a

irs,

m Lavar substantially as and for the vpurpose speci- 'l lio posespecified. 3. An apparatus of theclassjspeciliem` YJ so -Y 2 :AI`1apparatus of the 'class speciiied,

comprising a support 'fpr a series of tubes, a `hopper having aplurality of outlets, a series of pockets receive material from thehopper, means Asuccessively place said pockets m register'with thehopper outlets and the tubes, and a plunger to eject the material fromthe pockets into the tubes and compress e it therein2 substantially asand furthe' purcomprising means to support a Yseries of tubes in spaceda art relation, a hopper hav- -g ing a plurality o outlets, a series ofApockets f to receive materialfrom the hopper adapted to beinterm'gttently placed in register with i a, series of the outlets oithe hopper and the tubes, and lun ers eject the material l fromthe pocetsilnto the tubes and compress it therein, substanti ,-f-fposespecified.

" 1 comprising a support for a series of tubes ,in

ally'as and for the pur- 4. An apparatus 4ofi-the class specified,

spaced apart relation;4 a hopper having a j plurality of outlets, aseriesl of pockets to receive' material from the hopper, means toalternately44 place said pockets in register with! the hopper outletsand the tubes, plungers to eJect the material from the .pockets into thetubes and compress it therein and meansI tofintermittently advance thees, substantially as and for the purppse 5. An apparatus of the classspecified,

f comprising a support for a series of'open ended tubes; a hopper havinga plurality i intermittently move said 'nately place the pockets inregister with pockets to cause the successive pockets lto cey 0'outlets; a plurality of pockets to receive material from the hopper;means to pockets to altera hopper outlet and the open end of a tube;means to intermittently move the tube support with the tubes to registerwith alternate pockets; and plungers toeject the material from thepockets into the tubes, substantially as and for the purpose specified.v

outlets;-a plurality of pockets tol receive .material from the hopper; aplurality of plungers; means to intermittently move the aline with theplungersand alternate pockets rto register with the tubes, substantiallyas and for the purpose specijfed.

7. apparatus of the class specie'd,

successive tu 6. An apparatus of the classY specified,Iv comprising asupport for a series of open v end tubes; a hopper having a plurality ofcompri a support fors-a 'series of open end tubsga ho 'per having aplurality of outlets; a plura ity of. pockets to` receive material`:trom the hoppergfa lurality of plungers; means to intermittent y movethe pockets to successively aline with the plungers; and means tointermittently move the tube carrier with the tubes to cause successivetubes to aline. with successive plungers and -Zto register with thepockets, substantially as and for the purpose s ecilied.

8. An apparatus of the c ass specified,

`comprisingfa support fora; series of open end tubes; a hopper having'aplurality of outlets; a plurality of plungers; a plurality of pocketshaving inlets and out ets; means to mtermittently move the pockets toplace .the iinlets 'thereof successively in register with thehopperoutlets and in alinement with the plungersand means to intermittentlymove the. tut to place successive' tubes in alinement with lsuccessive esupport with the tubes 0 glungers and successive tubes in re ster witthe outlets of alternate pockets,

iudstantlally as and for thepurpose specie 9; An apparatus of the classspecified,

- comprising a support for a plurality of open end tubes; a hopperhaving a plurality of outlets; a series of plungers; a plurality ofpockets having inlets and outlets to receive aterial from the hop er;means to intermttently move the poc ets to cause successive pockets toalternately aline with the hopper outlets and plungers; and means tosupport the plungers operable to force the plungers into the tubes tocompress the material therein and ermit the plungers to rest bg gravityu on t e compressed material in t e tubessu stantially as and forthepurpose specied.

- 10. An apparatus of the class specied,

comprising a rotatable turret to carry a series of open end tubes inspaced apart relation; a series of plungers; a hop er having a pluralityof outlets; a rotata le head having a series of pockets having inletsand outlets to receive material Jfrom the hopper; and means tointermittently rotate the turret and pocket head to cause the inlets ofsucceive pockets to register alternately with the hopper outlets andplungers and es to register wlth successive plungers and the outlets ofalternate pockets,` substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. An apparatus of the class specified, comprising a rotatable turretto carry a series of open end tubes in spaced apart relation; a hopperhaving a plurality of outnemesi.

and to cause'successivetubes to register with the outlets of alternatepockets and with lll llt

with the inlets inv register With the pockets which are alternate totheopper outlets; and means to force the material lrom the pocketsand-compress it in the tubes, substantially as and for the purposespecified. v f

12. An apparatus of the class specified, comprisin a turret to carry aseries of open end tubes 1n spaced apart relation; a hopper having a'plurality of outlets; a rotatable head having a series of pockets withinlets and outlets to receive material from the hopper; means tointermittentlyrotate the turret and pocket'head to cause the inlets ofthe successive pockets to alternately register with the hopper outletsand to cause successive tubes to register with the outletsy of alternatepockets; a series of plunger-s, one lor each tube; and means to supportsaid plungers in line with the tubes and with alternate pockets, saidsupport being operable to force the plungers into the tubes to compressthe material therein and to permit the plunger-s to rest by gravity onthe material in the tubes, substantially as and for the purposespecilied.

13. An apparatus of the class specified, comprising a rotatable turretto carry a series of open end tubes in spaced apart relation; a hopperhaving a plurality of outlets; a rotatable head having a series ofpocliets With inlets and outlets to receive material from the hopper;means to intermittently rotate the turret and pocket head to cause theinlets of successive pockets to alternately register With the hopperoutlets and to cause successive tubes to register With the outlets ofalternate pockets; a series of plungers, one lor each tube; a carrier tosupport the plungers in alinement with alternate pockets and successivetubes; and means to actuate said carrier to cause the plungers to ejectthe material from the pockets into the tubes and compress' the materialin the latter, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

1l. An apparatusof the class specified, comprising a rotatable turret tocarrya series ol spaced apart tubes; a hopper having a plurality oloutlets; a rotatable head having a series of pockets With inlets andoutlets to receive material it'rom` the hopper; means to intermittentlyrotate the turret and pocket head to cause the inlets of successivepockets to alternately register with the hopper outlets and to causesuccessive tubes to register With the outlets of alternate pockets andWith pockets Which are alternate to the pockets with the inlets inregister With the hopper outlets; a series of plungers, one for eachtube; a carrier for said plungers comprising a head in which theplungers are ockets slidably carried; and means to reciprocate the headduring the periods of rest of the turret and pocket head, substantiallyas and for the purpose specied. v l

15. An apparatus of the class specied comprising a rotatable turret tocarry, a

series of` tubes in spaced apart relation; a

hopper having a plurality of outlets;` a rotatable head having a seriesof pockets with inlets and outlets t0 receive material from the hopper;means to intermittently rotate the turret and pocket head to cause theinlets of successive pockets to alternately register With the hopperoutlets and to cause succesy sive tubes to register With the outlets ofalternate pockets and with pockets which are alternate to the pocketswith the inlets in register With the hopper outlets; a series olplungers, one for each tube; a head in which the plungers are slidablycarried; and means to reciprocate the head comprising a reciprocablerack, a shaft, a gear on the shaft to f mesh with the rack, a slidablesupport for the head having rack teeth, and a second gear on the shaftmeshingy with said rack teeth, substantially as and for the purposespecied.

16. ln a device of the class specilied, the combination of a hopperhaving a plurality of outlets; plungers; a plurality of pockets toreceive material from the hopper outlets, means to successively placethe pockets alter nately in register with the hopper outlets andplungers, and a support and carrier for a series of spaced apart tubesintermittently operable to place successive tubes in register Withalternate pockets in register With the plungers, substantially as andfor the pur. pose specilied.

17. ln a device of the class specified, the combination of a hopperhaving a plurality of outlets; plungers; a plurality of pockets toreceive material from the hopper outlets; and means to carry a series ofopen end tubes in spaced relation, comprising a xed part to support 4andserve as an abutment for one end of the tubes and having an annularguidevvay for the tubes, a pair of spaced apart disks having recesses inthe periphery to embrace the tubes adjacent opposite ends, and a headrotatable With the disks having perforations for the engagement of theopen ends of the tubes, substan4 ull lili

llO

opposite ends, a head'rotatable with the of outlets; a rotatable headd1sks having perforations for the engagement of the open ends of thetubes, and means to intermittently rotate the disks and head with thetubes to successively place the open ends of the tubes in register withalternate pockets, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

19. In a device of the class specified, the

combination of a hopper havin a plurality of outlets; a rotatable headavm gear teethr on the peri heryand a plura ity of pockets having in etsand outlets to receive material from the hopper; a rotatable carrier fora series of o en end tubes including a head supporte in juxtaposedrelation to the pocket head, said head having gear teeth on theperiphery and perforations in which the open en s of the tubes engage;means to intermittently rotate the pocket head to cause the inlets ofalternate pockets to successively register with the hopper outlets andto cause the o en ends of successive tubes to register wit the outletsof the pockets alternate with the pockets having the inlets in registerwith the hopper outlets, com rising a rotatable shaft, gears on said shat to mesh With the teeth of the pocket head and the head of the tubecarrier, a rotatable shaft, and a Geneva gear to impart movementintermittently from said latter shaft to the first shaft; and plungersto aline with the tubes and pockets alternate with the pockets inregister with the hopper outlets during the periods of rest to eject thematerial from the pockets into the tubes and compress it therein,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

20. ln a device of the class specified, the combination of a hopperhaving a plurality aving gear teeth on the peripheryv and a plurality ofpockets having outlets and inlets to receive material from the hopper; arotatable carrier for a series of open end tubes including a headsupported in juxtapose relation to the ocket head, said head having gearteeth on t e periphery and perforations in which the open ends of thetubes engage; a pair of pinions to mesh with the ear teeth of the pockethead and the hea of the tube carrier; and means-to impart intermittentmovement to said inions and thereby to the tube carrier and pocket head,comprising a star wheel having transversely eX- tending guidewa s in oneface thereof operatively connecte to the inions, a continuously rotatingshaft, and a pawl mounted on the shaft to rotate therewith and havesliding movement thereon to engage in the guideways of the star wheel,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

21. In a device of the class specified, the combination of a hopperhavin a plurality of outlets; a rotatable head avin gear teeth on theperiphery and a plura ity of pockets having outlets and inlets toreceive material from the hopper; a rotatable carrier for a series ofopen end tubes including a head supported inv juxtaposed relation to thepocket carrier, said head having gear teeth on the periphery andperforations in which the open ends of the tubes engage; a pair ofpinions to mesh with the gear teeth of the pocket head and the head ofthe tube carrier; and means to impart intermittent movement to saidpinions and thereby to the tube carrier and pocket head, comprising astar Wheel having transverse guideways in one face thereof and curvedportions between the projections, a continuously rotating shaft, arotate therewith and have sliding movement thereon to engage in theguideways of the star wheel, means to slide said pawl on the shaft tothrow the same into and out of operative engagement with the guidewaysin the star Wheel at a predetermined time, and a disk rotatable with theshaft to engage With the curved portions of the star wheel to lock thelatter against movement and having a recessed portion for the pas-V sageof the projections of the star wheel, substantially as and for thepurpose specilied.

' ROBERT G. CLARK.

pawl mounted on the shaft to

